Owls Head firefighter allegedly drains half of town’s fire truck gas budget on his own car

OWLS HEAD, Maine — A firefighter here stole money from the fire station to fuel his personal truck, police say.

Christopher Gamage, 19, of Union, was arrested for theft and for misuse of identification on Tuesday.

A town official noticed unusual charges on one of the fire department’s fire truck gasoline credit cards and called the fire chief. In turn, chief Frank Ross called the sheriff’s office on Monday.

“[Ross] found $459.81 had been charged to the card since May 17,” wrote deputy James Moore in an affidavit filed in Rockland District Court.

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The card had been used six times in Rockland and once in Union, he wrote.

“[Ross] stated [the person who did this] would have to know the alarm code to enter the building. Ross stated he felt [a member of the fire department had] taken the card,” Moore wrote. “No one has been authorized to use any of the cards for personal vehicles. The Owls Head Fire Department has a yearly budget of approximately $800 for fuel for their fire trucks.”

Moore got a list of gasoline invoices from the town office and tracked down a June 10 charge of $85 at Maritime Farms in Rockland. He then got video footage from the store of the pump that the gas was charged to and connected the Dodge pickup with Christopher Gamage, who works at the fire department.

When Moore went to Gamage’s house to confront him, the man said he knew why police were there, that he was working to pay back the town and that the credit card was back in the station. He told Moore he took the card “because he was in a bind,” Moore wrote.

Gamage was arrested and taken to Knox County Jail on Tuesday. He made bail of $500 the same day. Ross said Gamage will be fired.